This application seeks funding of a new program in Integrative Cancer Biology (ICB) to train post-doctoral and pre-doctoral trainees committed to careers in cancer research. The program will be based in the University of Maryland Greenebaum (UMG) Cancer Center, and includes faculty from multiple basic science and clinical departments on the University of Maryland Baltimore campus. Participating Faculty have been selected based on their scientific achievements and track record of funding in cancer research, interest in translational cancer research and experience in mentoring trainees. A major goal of this multi-disciplinary program is to provide trainees with an exciting and stimulating academic environment in which to pursue interdisciplinary cancer research, utilizing cutting edge technologies to make profound discoveries that will lead to the next generation of sensitive diagnostics and specific therapeutics. Trainees are provided with an appreciation for translational cancer research and with the ability to interact effectively with interactive teams of scientists and clinicians that will guide their careers. Two key developments substantiate the commitment of the University of Maryland to cancer research and justify our request for a training program. The first was the establishment of the UMG Cancer Center, whose mission is to integrate innovative basic, translational and clinical research to impact the understanding, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer, and to provide state-of-the-art clinical care for cancer patients. The UMG Cancer Center was funded as a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer center in 2008 in recognition of its scientific excellence and outstanding patient care. Second, a new inter-departmental graduate program in Cancer Biology was formed within the Molecular Medicine Program of the Graduate Program of Life Sciences. The ICB training program builds on the Cancer Biology graduate program and is integrated with the programs of the UMG Cancer Center. It is highly "interdisciplinary" in scope and enables students to obtain a solid grounding in many different aspects of basic, translational and clinical cancer research, yet allows them the flexibility to specialize in their area of interest. A real strength of the ICB training program is the capacity of the large, diverse group of cancer faculty with expertise in virtually all contemporary biomedical science to mentor trainees. Our pre-doctoral and post-doctoral trainees have the opportunity to investigate the molecular basis of cancer using state-of-the-art methodologies in an interactive, multidisciplinary environment, and in conjunction with clinical research--distinctive assets of the ICB Training program. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This application seeks funding for a new program in Integrative Cancer Biology (ICB) for the training of the next generation of basic, translational and clinical researchers at the Marlene and Stewart Greenebaum Cancer Center, at the University of Maryland Baltimore. The program is focused on providing all graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and physician scientists with an exciting and stimulating academic environment in which to pursue interdisciplinary cancer research, utilizing cutting edge technologies to develop the next generation of sensitive diagnostics and specific therapeutics. A strength of the program is that trainees are provided with an appreciation for translational cancer research and with the ability to interact effectively with interactive teams of scientists and clinicians that will guide their careers.